Potato Grower Specializes In Old-Time Varieties

Potato Grower Specializes In Old-Time Varieties CROPS Miscellaneous 27-4-44 Ronniger's Potato Farm in Moyie Springs, Idaho, produces the largest selection of potato varieties available anywhere in the U.S. Owner David Ronniger specializes in varieties that originated in the 1800's or earlier. He has introduced old European cultivars here that have gone on to be in great demand in the current "health spud trend." The farm is located five miles west of the Montana border, and 15 miles south of Canada. Ronniger's potatoes range from colorful red, yellow, purple or blue-fleshed varieties to the standard white-fleshed types. Their shapes vary equally, from round to oval fingerling, to horn shaped. He works with potato geneticist Chuck Brown of the USDA in a breeding project that is developing potatoes with elevated levels of antioxidants and carotinoids û characteristics that are in high demand in the health food market. Ronniger grows out new clones and has already produced one red-fleshed variety that is used to make potato chips. Ronniger's 75-acre farm produces only 25 acres of potatoes annually, but he also contracts out 20 acres of potato production with other growers in Washington, Colorado and Canada. He sells seed potatoes to large commercial farms, small farms and home gardeners, and four years ago, started pursuing specialty markets like restaurants and grocery stores with production of small potatoes measuring less than an inch across. These can be any variety, but the hills are crowded and harvested early. Many of the varieties he grows have interesting names, like, "Candy Cane," "Huckleberry," "Pink Pearl," and "Russian Banana," and are equally interesting looking and tasting. Eight family members work full-time, but at harvest he hires about 45 people. He uses a machine from Holland that strips the vines, pinches the plants, and jerks them out of the ground to dry them out. The potato skins harden in about 10 days. Ronniger also produces organic garlic, shallots and onion seed. A seed catalog is available. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, David Ronniger, Ronniger's Potato Farm, HCR 62, Box 332A, Moyie Springs, Idaho 83845 (ph 208 267-7938; fax 208 267-3265; email: smallpotatoes@ronnigers. com; website: www.ronnigers.com).

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